"Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."
We may think that we understand our weaknesses, but God understands our weaknesses far better than we understand them. Furthermore, he understands the weaknesses of the other people in our lives. That is something which we only receive momentary glimpses and of which we are mostly ignorant. Knowing this, God has clued us in on how to relate to others for their best good and ours too.
The directive here is to never withhold sexual relations from your spouse. The context indicated that fulfillment was each spouse's right. And here we see that your spouse's fulfillment in you can keep your spouse from the temptation of seeking fulfillment elsewhere. Therefore always give yourself freely and without reservation to your spouse whenever your spouse desires you, regardless of your current desire.
You can only withhold yourself from your spouse when three requirements are met. You must both be in agreement concerning the abstinence. You must only abstain for a pre-determined temporary period of time. And you can only abstain for the purpose of prayer. Obviously, other short periods of abstinence due to a spouse's illness or other extenuating circumstances are acceptable too. But again this should be an exception from the norm, and you should quickly return to one another after the abstinence and be fulfilled in an acceptable manner.
No comments:
Post a Comment